


Late Night Worries

by IWriteLikeImRunningOutOfTime



Category: Helix Waltz (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Future Fic, Gen, Implied/Referenced Death in Childbirth, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 20:30:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20494883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWriteLikeImRunningOutOfTime/pseuds/IWriteLikeImRunningOutOfTime
Summary: Babies are so fragile. Barris knows this. He just has to make sure...





	Late Night Worries

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gdcee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gdcee/gifts).

> Inspired by gdcee's amazing art on Tumblr (https://gdcee.tumblr.com/post/181405275156) 
> 
> I originally wrote this on Tumblr and decided to switch it over to AO3 with some editing done! Go and show some love to Deb's art (and her fics here on AO3). 
> 
> Also, yes, Milk of the Poppy was taken from GoT/ASoiaF. I couldn't remember if the game ever referenced a pain killer of any sort, so I just took one I knew already.

He wasn’t in bed.

Magda had never considered herself a cuddler but since her marriage, she had often woken up with her limbs embracing Barris in his sleep. Barris ran warm and she reached out for him when she felt cold, so when she reached out and felt nothing but cool sheets, she roused from her sleep.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open, trying to adjust to the moonlight. She rubbed her eyes, forcing them open and checked Barris’s side of the bed. Sure enough, it was empty. She placed her hand on the ice cold sheets and figured that he hadn’t been there for some time.

She turned her head towards the bassinet and saw Barris sitting in the chair beside it. The lamps had been turned off for the night, but she could see clearly with the moonlight that filtered in from the window.

He looked haggard, as if he had not rested since he had gone to bed with her. “Barris, it’s past midnight…” Magda said lowly, not wanting to speak too loudly and accidentally wake the baby. Barris did not react, his eyes fixed on the bassinet and their child within. Worried, Magda got up from their bed and walked over to her husband.

“Barris?” she called out to him again, keeping her eyes on his face, looking for a sign of recognition. She walked right up to him, standing between him and the bassinet, and placed her hand over his. “Did the baby wake you?”

At the feeling of her hand on his, Barris seemed to snap out of his trance. He blinked a few times, looked down as his hand, at Magda’s, and followed the path of her arm to her eyes. “Oh,” he said, “I didn’t hear you get up, love.” His green eyes flickered back to their son before meeting her eyes again. “No, he’s been quiet,” he said simply.

He seemed incapable of keeping eye contact for long, she noticed. His eyes would always drift beyond her, to the small child sound asleep in the Sakan family bassinet. Having once housed Barris, Juven, and Barbara, Barris had insisted on the bassinet being used by their son.

“…How long have you been awake?”

Barris gave a light shrug. “About an hour, perhaps two?”

Magda gaped at him. “Barris, you are expected at the Ministry of Justice in the morning! Why did you not go back to sleep?”

Barris took her hand in his and brought her closer to him, pulling her into his lap. Magda wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his. They sat in silence for a few moments, with nothing but the moonlight and the soft breaths of their son to accompany them.

“They’re so fragile,” Barris said suddenly. “Babies, that is. Even once they are born, there is no guarantee that they'll live long. Babies can stop breathing in their sleep, did you know that, Magda? We could put him to bed, go to sleep, and wake up in the morning to find him blue and cold.” Barris’s arms tightened fractionally around her, a physical manifestation of his worry.

“Is that why you didn’t go back to sleep?”

“It is why I woke up. I was so worried and the delivery was difficult for you both…" 

Yes... It was hazy, they had given her Milk of the Poppy to deal with the pain and it had dulled her senses but she remembered hours of screaming, her throat burning raw and hot, and so much blood, it was honestly a miracle that she hadn't died bringing her child into the world, the same way the late Duchess Sakan had died bringing Barbara into the world. 

"I just had to make sure," he finished. He looked solemnly towards their son and Magda could see that his mind had wandered to darker thoughts.

She placed a kiss upon his cheek. “And so you have, Barris. He sleeps well, not knowing that he has a very loving father looking out for him. I know you worry Barris, it is your prerogative. But don’t deny yourself of sleep, dear. You need to be well rested if you are to be Minister, let alone a father.”

Barris looked back at his wife. She was softly smiling down at him, the moonlight behind her making her almost ethereal and Barris was reminded at how lucky he was to have her, that she said yes and loved him in return. He kissed her lips and when he pulled away he smiled. “You are right, of course.”

Her answering smile was blinding and Barris felt himself falling in love all over again.

Magda got up from his lap, to his dismay, and she tugged at his hand. “Let’s go back to bed, Barris.”

Barris got up with a smile and followed his wife.


End file.
